Aping Transformers, Or: The Flash Gordon Effect

Most of the people I know aren't terribly interested in Flash Gordon. It's an old science fiction relic whose popularity pretty much died from two things: the onset of Star Wars, and the campy, cheesy Flash Gordon movie that was released in 1980. Up against The Empire Strikes Back. Riiight.

Don't get me wrong...if you aren't expecting much, the 1980 Flash Gordon movie can be entertaining. It's got a cult following, and the entire soundtrack was done by Queen. In my last days of working at Water of Life, the movie theme song was heard VERY often in the Creative Department. Who can't love lyrics like, "He'll save every one of us!"..."King of the Impossible!"..."Savior of the Universe!"...or my personal favorite, "He's a miracle!"

All this about a star athlete forced into wars in outer space. I bet Tom Brady couldn't hack that.

Ironically, the Flash Gordon comic strip and TV series were a big influence upon George Lucas. He originally set out to do a Flash Gordon movie, but movie studios wouldn't hear of it. Flash Gordon's heyday was in the 1950's...who would care about it a few decades later?

And so, Lucas decided to do his own thing, and "Star Wars" was born. As iconic as that opening scroll is before every Star Wars movie, it was aped from Flash Gordon! That's probably just the tip of the iceberg as far as how one thing influenced the next.

If my books become incredibly popular, and thus receive the Harry Potter treatment, then my journey will have mirrored Lucas in many ways. Why? Because just as he drew inspiration from Flash Gordon, I've received much of it from your favorite 80's cartoon and mine: Transformers.

That show was so awesome back in the day, my dad could be heard around the house uttering, "More than meets the eye." Seriously cool. Seriously.

Truth be told, I dabbled in screenwriting during my senior year of college, and traveled to the faraway land of Nashville, Tennessee, to attend a screenwriter's conference. The organization that put on the conference, ActOne, had a month-long intensive screenwriting program that I applied for shortly after the conference. What was my first project? A movie script for a live action Transformers film.

However, I somehow ignored the program application rule that your screenplay had to be an original property. They wasted no time in rejecting my application, and my ideas kinda fell by the wayside. Even worse, they MADE a live action Transformers movie! How dare they, and Michael Bay!

When I plan The Forever Saga, though, I am aiming higher than action spectacle. There's a reason why the story is best served by a book, rather than a special effects-laden movie: substance takes a front seat before spectacle. The family in my books - Brian Renney and his wife and sons - are the main focus, even against the backdrop of a secret war, giant robots, and advanced technology.

By the time the campy Flash Gordon movie came out in 1980, Star Wars was already a phenomenon. George Lucas took the best ideas for his Flash Gordon script, and crafted a movie franchise that set the standard for all others after it.

So that's what I mean by "The Flash Gordon Effect": in my initial rejection to write a Transformers movie, I've come up with something even better. The idea is to surpass what's already been done, and to capture imaginations.

Finally, my eventual domination of the Internet continues with a few more social networking ideas! Read an excerpt of the first book, Forever-Flash, at issuu.com, and become a fan/leave feedback on The Forever Saga Facebook Page. You can even find me on Twitter or LinkedIn! Everything that you need access to is via Facebook, so this is just an FYI. Enjoy!

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Forever-Saga-by-Sean-Sousa/46622244222

Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/ForeverSaga

Blog:
http://theforeversaga.blogspot.com/

Forever-Flash Excerpt:
http://www.issuu.com/seansousa/docs/forever_facebook_excerpt

LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/seansousa